Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-21
CARRYING BRIDGES.
THE NEW INVENTION NJ. De eRAzzA
WILL TAKE TO AFRICA.

Explorers Convinced Of the Necessity
of Making Themselves Comfortable.
Roughing ~, simply an Invitation
to Disaster-Modern Advantages.
The improvements that have been made
within a few years in travelling equipments
have greatly increased the facilities for ex-
ploration, while leSsening its discomforts.
Savorgnan de Brazza will soon take back to
Africa the latest invention designed to facii-
tate the work of explorers. If it is as perfect
As its inventors assert, it will be great boon
to African travellers.
One Of the greatest impediments TO explora-
tory work in all tropical regions is the large
number Of rivers, biz and little, that must he
crossed. An expedition sometimes has to
cross three or four streams in a single day.
Often the stream is unfordable, and the party
has to walk miles 90 find boats or a ford.
Wher" the river can I've fordei the explorers
pass over on the shoulders of their stout car
riers. Sometimes a careless or unfortunate
porter drops a box or bundle OF valuables in
the water. and it is ruined or lost Every
body will remember the picture in one Of
Staneys books representing the explorer as
standing on the bank of a rapid river, aiming
his rifle at one OF his porters, whom be threat
ems TO shoot if he drops his load. The poor
fellow. submerged to his neck, is struggling
slowly along with Stanleys precious box Of
records on his head.
The French Congo is cut up by almost IL
Vulnerable streams. When De Brazza gots
back there in month or two he will tako
with him two portable, bridges. They are
new invention just patented by great COM
pany Of French machinists. These bridges
are each thirty meters, or about 100 feet In
length, which exceeds the width Of most Afri-
can rivers It is asserted that soldiers, sailors
or natives will be able to put up one Of these
bridges complete in three quarters Of an
hour, and that men, mules and heavily laden
wagons can safely cross upon them. They
are, of course, divisible into small pieces, and
can lie transported on the backs of porters
across savage and roadless countries.
MAKING THEMSELVES COMFORTABLE
Explorers are now more firmly convinced
than they used to be of the necessity OF
making themselves as comfortable as the cir
cumstances will permit, and 80 they provide
themselves with rnOmy tents, iron bed
steads, cork beds, rubber bath tubs, folding
chairs, portable tables and other con-
veniences Of civilization. They think, in
tropical countries especially, that any at
tempt to rough it more than is actually
necessary is simply to invite disaster. The
improvements also that have been made in
their scientific instruments and food supplies
have much facilitated their work and added
to their comfort. By the invention of dry
gelatine plates travellers have been able to
discard their rude end inadequate drawings
for the more satisfactory process Of photog
raphy. The comparatively new practice Of
canning all sorts of provisions is q great boon
TO explorers 1t is found even in tropical
climates that canned soups, meats and veg
etables will keep for an almost unlimited
length of time. In this way explorers now
take along for their private table little deli
cacies which their predecessors could not OBJ
tain. and the empty tin cans in most parts of
Africa make very good money, as the natives
regard them As valuable presents
In the past fifty wears there have not been
any great improvements in the geographical
instruments used by explorers, though in
their present form they are more handy and
portable than they used to be. Modern stem
winding and water tight watches are a great
convenience, and so are portable boats made
in sections. a comparatively recent invention
Tie greatest advantage, however, enjoyed
by recent travellers is the ease with which dis
r.nt parts OF the world are now reached
Fifty years ago we We're 100 days distant
from the cape Of Good Hope and $50 days
from Bombay. Now the explorer is not only
carried with celerity across the sea, but, as q
rule, he can make use of modern facilities of
travel almost to the very threshold of the
region he intends to explore.-New York Sun